Center for Diabetes and Endocrinology
Thyroid Surgery
Thyroid operations are used for patients who have a variety
of thyroid conditions, including both cancerous and benign
(non-cancerous) thyroid nodules, large thyroid glands (goiters),
and overactive thyroid glands.
The most common reason patients are referred for thyroid
surgery is after an evaluation for a thyroid nodule. Surgery
is also an option for the treatment of hyperthyroidism and
for any goiter that may be causing symptoms.
Surgery is definitely required for a diagnosis of thyroid
cancer or the possibility of thyroid cancer. In the absence
of a possibility of thyroid cancer, there may be non-surgical
options of therapy. You should discuss other options for
therapy with your physician.
All patients considering thyroid surgery should be evaluated
pre-operatively with a thorough and comprehensive medical
history and physical exam, including cardiopulmonary (heart)
evaluation. Any patients who have had any change in voice
or who have had a previous neck operation should have their
vocal cord function evaluated preoperatively.
In general, thyroid surgery is best performed by a surgeon
who has received special training and who performs thyroid
surgery on a regular basis, since the complication rate of
thyroid operations is lower when the operation is done by a
surgeon who does a considerable number of thyroid operations
each year. |
